Circular Scene on Patterned Paper

Hi all.  This was supposed to be shown a little while ago as a follow up post for the August CAS Mix Up Challenge, but it didn't work well because I had finished the scene and was adding some birds in the sky and some stray ink landed on the top part which could not be erased as patterned paper is not forgiving so I cut the top part off just above a layer of clouds but after some thought I finished it.  Stencilling was the media for this challenge and I used parts of the Clarity Deerscape, Mountains and Hills and Clouds Mask Sets.  The wild flower stamps were from Simply Cards & Papercraft Magazine No. 284 featuring Indigoblu stamps called Wings and Things.

I started by cutting a circle of white card and then cut a circle from a piece of patterned paper from one of my magazine sets, but sorry not sure which one.   It had a fairly minimum amount of pattern and in a sort of cream/light brown shade and so I chose my colours to go with this.  I used some brown Distress Ink in I think Tea Dye Distress Ink with a small amount of Hickory Smoke DI to shade the edges for the foreground hill using the Deerscape stencil, and then one of the Mountain/Hill stencils for the next one back using Dried Marigold DI.  I then followed this with the cloud stencil using the residue brown ink with a touch of Tumbled Glass DI.  I also added the deer using the Deerscape stencil and Walnut Stain ink, but using just one of the deer featured on it. 

This is where I cut the rest off after getting some stray ink onto it which could not be erased, and after a lot of thought I decided to cut another circle of thinner card and a circle of the same patterned paper to complete the circle and I added the sentiment using Versafine Vintage Sepia Ink.  I then added foam tape to the back of it.  

I was going to keep the background plain white but I thought it needed something so I found a border embossing folder with these grasses and I embossed it being careful to make sure to place the top plate just below the top edge of the folder and luckily it worked and didn't leave a line.  I finished by colouring the embossing with a brush using the Dried Marigold DI.  I added this to the 6" square base card and then added the circle in the centre.

Thank you for visiting my blog today and I'll see you again soon.

I am entering the following challenges:

We Love Stamping Challenge - Sept. '26 Trees and Leaves/Anything Goes.

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Stamp It.

AAA Birthday Challenge - No. 89 Use Patterned Paper.

Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge - No. 525 Diecuts and/or Stencils.

Stencil Fun Challenge - Sept. '26 Anything Goes/Yellow.

CAS Mix up Challenge - Watercolour Sunflower

Hi everybody.  This month the CAS Mix Up Challenge is featuring Watercolouring with the theme of Sunflower hosted by Bobby, and our Guest Designer is Barbara (My Creative Room).

I used an old set of Papermania stamps called Build a Sunflower, and I also used a stencil which came with a Simply Cards and Papercraft Magazine No. 284 with stamps and a double stencil from Indigoblu, both have never been used before.

                            

I decided to use a 5" x 7" card base and I cut a piece of white card to fit this.  I stamped the largest sunflower in the bottom right corner using Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink, going off the edge slightly and then I stamped it again onto some masking paper and cut it out.  Having masked the image I then used the mandala stencil in that corner using a brush to apply the Distress Ink Mermaid Lagoon, and then I decided to add a smaller bit of the mandala on the top left hand corner using the same ink.  I also added four of one of the tiny sunflowers stamped in the same ink around the edge of the stencilling in just that corner.

I removed the mask and then watercoloured the sunflower with Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmalade DI's on the petals and Walnut Stain DI for the centre using a waterbrush.  I finished with a bit of pencil smudged around the edge of the flower to give it more definition and added the sentiment also using the Mermaid Lagoon ink.

I hope you will come and visit us over at CAS Mix Up and take a look at the beautiful work from our Guest Designer Barbara and the rest of the team.  There are also a few videos you can watch for more inspiration and the challenge is open until the end of the month so you have plenty of time to play along with us.  I love sunflowers which are always so bright and pretty and can be seen quite late into the summer which is lovely, and if you ever see a field filled with them it is a spectacular sight.

Thank you for visiting my blog today and I'll see you again soon.  

I am entering the following challenges:

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Stamp It.

Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge - No. 525 Die Cuts and/or Stencils.

Stencil Fun Challenge - Sept. '26 Anything Goes/Yellows.

NBUS Challenge - No. 90 Where we use our Never Before Used Schtuff.

I.D.E.A.S. Challenge - Week 5 Stencils.

CAS Christmas - Woodland Critters

Hi everyone.  I am so pleased to have been asked to be a Guest Designer over at CAS Christmas after being the winner of last month's challenge, and the theme this time is Woodland Critters.  

I have used a mix of a Card-io set of stamps called Oriental Blossoms, using just the twiggy branch and a small leaf, and then some silhouette stamps from Crafter's Companion called Festive Foliage from which I think I may have used the holly in the past, but not the berries or pine cones, so these are getting their first outing, and I think the twiggy branch and leaf have not been inked before either..both sets were bought a long time ago so great to get some use  at last.  The fox and bird came from two different magazine stamp sets from Highlight Crafts Two Red Robins Box Kit 4 which had the fox, and Creative Stamping No. 129 had the little bird, and both sets have lots of other lovely Winter/Christmas images, and neither set has been used very much so I must endeavour to use some of these for festive cards this year, and the two I used had definitely not seen ink before...tut tut!

I cut a piece of white card to fit a 6" square card base and then decided how large it needed to be in order to stay CAS and for the little fox to fit inside it.  I made small pencil marks where the perimeter of the circle would be in each direction and then started at one side and continued round to aim for the marks to keep it reasonably circular which luckily worked OK.  I did add one or two more branches where I thought they were needed, but didn't do any second or third generation stamping which if I had kept it plainer I probably would have done to fill it out more.  I then added the holly leaves at intervals with the berries over the top..perhaps the bunch of berries was a bit large but I didn't have a lot of choice and they do make a statement.  I then added the pine cones, and in two other gaps I added a couple of small leaves.  I used Distress Inks except for the red which was an Adirondack ink pad in Cranberry which I thought would be darker and therefore have enough ink coverage to push the holly and twiggy branch into the background, although close up you can still see both beneath.  The pine cones being brown stand out fine, as do the little leaves.  I was very happy with the result as I don't think I have attemped this sort of wreath before.  I meant to keep a note but I think the Distress Inks were Brushed Corduroy and Walnut Stain, and the leaves were a combination of Twisted Citron and Pine Needles over the top

The next step was to add the sky and snow slope within the wreath and I kept it simple using one of a set of stencils from Lavinia and using Tumbled Glass DI brushed very lightly.

I then found a small offcut of white card and stamped the fox coloured with my Lyra Pencils and then cut it out, and similarly with the very small bird.  I did also use my pencils to add a bit more definition to the the holly leaves and berries and the pine cones, and I added a white Posca pen highlight on each of the berries.

Finally I added the sentiment using a mix of Versafine Satin Red and Crimson Red inks.  The Satin Red was a bit too bright and the Crimson a bit dark so this just made it about right to match with the red of the berries, and after cutting the piece of card down slightly as the wreath wasn't totally central and adding this to the card base, I added the fox and little robin using Pinflair Glue Gel to give them a little dimension.

I hope you will visit CAS Christmas and see what the Design Team have made to inspire you, and hopefully join in the challenge which is open until the end of the month so lots of time to take part.

Thanks for visiting me here today and I'll see you again soon.

I am entering the following challenges:

Merry Little Christmas Challenge - No. 70 Anything Goes.

Peace on Earth Challenge - No. 118 Anything Goes Christmas.

NBUS Challenge - No. 90 Where we use our Never Before Used Schtuff.